Free Prince Charming by Gaelen Foley Page B

From the corner of his eye, he saw his father lower his head and smile.

 
     
       CHAPTER  
FOUR
     
    Dani awoke with the morning light filtering softly through her bed’s threadbare canopy of muslin, which served as insect netting. The light brought into focus the muted, faded tones of the old furniture and the drab stucco walls. She winced faintly at the flaming pain in her arm, closing her eyes again as the pain brought back the night of scant sleep she had passed.
    Riding to the village last night and telling the Widow Gabbiano what had happened to her boys had been one of the hardest things Dani had ever had to do. Between her fear for the boys, the throbbing in her wounded arm, and her feverish memory of every word she’d exchanged with Prince Rafael, she had barely gotten the rest she would need for the day ahead.
    Today she would make everything ready, and tonight the Masked Rider would effect a daring rescue.
    Knowing Mrs. Gabbiano would arrive soon for their foray into the great city, Dani sat up with a huge yawn, eyes watering, then dragged herself out of bed. Even before she could bother checking her gunshot wound, she needed coffee. Wrapping her dressing gown over her cotton night shift, she made her way downstairs, mentally blessing Maria when she smelled the aroma of coffee permeating the first floor.
    A good, strong cup of coffee, that’s all she asked from life, she thought as she sat down at the table where the small cup waited for her on the saucer, steaming in the cool air of morning.
    The window in the kitchen was open, admitting the fresh, delicate breeze. It carried to her the distant scent of the sea and the pungent smell of the wild mint that grew amid the weeds around the courtyard. The minty flavor of the air reminded her of him —that wicked candy man with his peppermints and his sweet, lying mouth and his golden mane, warm butterscotch blond.
    She scowled faintly and took another sip of coffee. She wished she had not told him about her philosophy of independence. What an oddball he must think her. Yet it had been important to remove the look of pity she had seen in his eyes, even if only to replace it with male bafflement.
    Her thoughts drifted to his invitation to the ball. Knowing she would be busy breaking her friends out of jail, of course she had been forced to refuse. Last night, she had been too dazzled by his looks and charm and his kindness to Grandfather to be properly suspicious, but by the clear light of morning, his flattering desire that she join him for his birthday celebration struck her as odd, indeed.
    Offering to send a carriage for her? He’d made no mention of chaperonage. Had he really suggested that he would hand her over to one of his glamorous women to dress her for the party? Good Lord! With his reputation, one had to question the motive behind his seeming generosity.
    But then she shrugged off her suspicions as ludicrous. He was used to the fairest flowers of the ton, diamonds of the first water. A man like that would not want a red-headed, tomboy misfit like her—thank God. Such a smooth-talking devil with his angel face and smoky green eyes would be nigh impossible to resist.
    Just then, the door that led to the kitchen garden outside opened and Grandfather walked in. Dani looked up, surprised to find him up and about so early.
    “Good morning, my dear!” he said cheerfully.
    She smiled at him, overjoyed to see he was lucid today, at least for now. “How are you feeling, Grandfather?”
    “Capital, my dear, capital!” he said, his lined face etched with a smile, his raspy voice stronger than usual. “I was just strolling a bit in the morning air and thinking about Prince Rafael. What a fine young man, eh, Dani?”
    She glanced skeptically at him, then decided not to contradict him. He looked happy, and if Prince Rafael was responsible for the smile on Grandfather’s face, she would not be the one to break his illusions. They had so few